Let’s save maritime treasures from climate change
26.09.2009
President James Michel told the world on Tuesday we all have to change the way we do things if we are to start slowing down climate change.
The secretary-general of the International Maritime Organisation has echoed the statement in his message as the world body leads events to mark World Maritime Day under the theme Climate change: a challenge for IMO too!
Taking another leaf out of our book, Efthimios Mitropoulos also says: “We need to make some tough decisions now and act on them as one, with total and undivided commitment.”
Seychelles is already pressing for higher pollution control standards and will push the small island states’ agenda at the Copenhagen meeting when the Kyoto Protocol will be replaced by a new treaty in December.
Offering concrete examples, such as going for environmentally friendly tankers and greening our environment with determination – as these students in our picture did yesterday – gives us the strength to challenge our fellow members of the global village to do the best they can to combat climate change.
Since we are so dependent on the ocean, we welcome the fact that the IMO is focusing attention on the importance of shipping safety, maritime security and the marine environment.
As our President told the world, we must try hard to safeguard the earth from climate change so we can tell our children we did our best.
A few people fighting climate change in different corners of our islands may not sway the world to do what is necessary in this regard. We all have to act together as Seychellois for our voice to be heard, and take the opportunity to speak also for other island-nation inhabitants.
We have already been educated about climate change, so let us continue doing the best we can to slow it down and we can be sure the world will continue to listen to us.